Bowls handmade by ICC art students line the table as part of the ICC Vagabond Art Club’s “The Art of Ice Cream” sale during ICC’s 2017 Arts Week. Once again this year, patrons can purchase ice cream in a handmade bowl they get to keep. ICC’s Arts Week 2018 runs April 16-20 on the East Peoria campus; for a full list of activities, visit ArtsAtICC.com/ArtsWeek.

STATE

Fake pot bleeding cases are up in Tazewell County

Illinois public health officials say the number of people in Illinois who have experienced severe bleeding after using synthetic marijuana increased to 81 cases as of April 4.

Health department data show the majority of cases are in Tazewell County, Peoria County and the Chicago area. Some have tested positive for an anticoagulant often used as rat poison. The updated number includes two deaths.

The substance is often referred to as Spice, K2 or fake weed. It is a human-made, mind-altering chemical that is either sprayed on dried shredded plant material to be smoked or sold as a liquid to be vaporized and inhaled. Public health officials say the product is not safe and if anyone has purchased it they shouldn’t use it.

Kids’ Fest fun April 21

Youngsters and their families are invited to this year’s Pekin Kids’ Fest. The fun will be held 10 a.m.-7 p.m. April 21 at Avanti’s Dome, 3401 Griffin Ave., Pekin. All the attractions at this year’s fest are free with paid admission. Some activities planned include Fun on the Run Inflatables, a balloon artist, face painting and carnival rides. Tickets are $6. An Avanti Family Four-Pack is $20. It allows entry for two adults and two children. Youngsters 3 and under will be admitted free.

EAST PEORIA

ICC Presents Arts Week 2018

ICC will present a week of demonstrations, exhibits, concerts and other events during the Arts and Behavioral Sciences Department’s Arts Week 2018, April 16-April 20, on the East Peoria campus.

The week will kick off April 16 with several activities highlighted by the 6th Annual Jim Maloof’s Legacy of Love for the Arts in Central Illinois event at 6:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. The family-friendly event will showcase performing arts talent from central Illinois while honoring the legacy of former Peoria Mayor Maloof. Tickets are $7, with all proceeds benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tickets can be purchased at ArtsAtICC.com or by calling (309) 694-5136.

Almost 50 events will take place, including:

• A student talent show, ICC’s Got Talent;
• Performances by the ICC Theatre Program of Martin McDonagh’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan” (rated R for adult language);
• ICC Vagabond Art Club’s unique The Art of Ice Cream sale, in which the ice cream is sold, served in a bowl made by an ICC art student and the purchaser keeps the bowl;
• The ICC student film festival;
• An activity event, The Joy of Coloring, presented by the ICC Library;
• An eco-friendly fashion show presented by Student Association for the Environment (SAFE) with donations to the ICC Food Pantry accepted for admission; and
• The 50th annual ICC student and faculty art shows.

A full listing of events will be updated as needed at ArtsAtICC.com/ArtsWeek. Other than the Maloof event and the performances of “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” all events are free. For more information, call (309) 694-5136.

Tuition waivers offered to theater students

ICC Theatre Program will hold its tuition waiver auditions for the fall 2018 semester at 9 a.m. April 14, in the ICC Performing Arts Center on the East Peoria Campus. Successful candidates will receive a waiver for partial or full tuition at ICC. Reservations are required.

Participants must be enrolled or are intending to enroll as a full-time student for the fall 2018 semester. Waiver awards are based on talent and interest and not financial need. Students do not have to be a resident of the Illinois Central College district to be eligible.

The auditions are open to all students interested in theatre performance and/or technical theatre, with or without a theatre major.

Actors must come prepared to read material presented at the audition and interview. The process will consist of an informational meeting, auditions/interviews and a tour of the facility. Technical and costume waivers will be awarded through the interview process.

Questions or requests for more information about the theatre tuition waiver auditions should be directed to Robin Berkley, teaching chair for the ICC Theatre Program, by phone at (309) 694-8425 or by email at rberkley@icc.edu.

–Tazewell County News Briefs–